IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE PATTERNS IN DERMATITIS HERPETIFORMIS

Summary.— An attempt has been made to detect Ig deposits in skin and upper intestinal mucosa, and circulating antibodies in the serum, of patients with dermatitis herpetiformis.
Deposits containing IgA and complement (C₃') were traced in the lesional skin of 11 of 12 patients. One patient wbo was free of skin symptoms failed to exhibit similar findings.
Specimens of upper intestinal mucosa (9 patients), did not show a similar pattern of junctional IF; however a marked flattening of the mucosal relief was observed in 6 patients.
Circulating antibodies against junctional antigens of skin or jejunal tissue were not demonstrated.